Plot Synopsis

Each year since 2002, the Americana Music Association has honored distinguished members of the music community and has conferred awards at its annual capstone event during the Americana Music Association's Festival and Conference. Plus, each year, the AMERICANA MUSIC HONORS AND AWARDS features a line-up of artists that celebrates the best of Americana music, with live performances by brightest new faces of Americana, as well as legendary icons who helped define the genre.

PBS' AUSTIN CITY LIMITS presented the first national broadcast of the awards program, showing a one-hour compilation, "ACL Presents: Americana Music Festival," on Saturday, November 19, 2011, two months after the event was shown live locally on Nashville Public Television (WNPT-Channel 8).

The following year at the 11th annual AMERICANA MUSIC HONORS AND AWARDS, the event was broadcast live nationally for the first time, with AXS TV showing same-day live coverage and PBS again showing a one-hour special on AUSTIN CITY LIMITS in mid-November 2012.

One year later in 2013, AXS TV again broadcast the event live, but the AMERICANA MUSIC HONORS AND AWARDS returned to PBS in 2014 as a one-hour AUSTIN CITY LIMITS special, where it has annually premiered ever since.

The 2019 AMERICANA MUSIC HONORS AND AWARDS, hosted for the second time by the Milk Carton Kids (Joey Ryan & Kenneth Pattengale) from the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville on Wednesday, September 11, 2019. The event was broadcast by PBS as a one-hour special on Saturday, November 23, 2019 at 11pm (check local listings) in the AUSTIN CITY LIMITS time slot, featuring performances from some of these artists who sang at the ceremony: Jade Bird, Brandi Carlile, Elvis Costello, Mark Erelli, Rhiannon Giddens, I'm With Her, Ruston Kelly, Delbert McClinton, Lori McKenna, Maria Muldaur, John Prine, J.S. Ondara, Our Native Daughters, Erin Rae, Amanda Shires, Mavis Staples, The War and Treaty and Yola.

The winners of the 19th annual AMERICANA MUSIC HONORS AND AWARDS were announced on December 15, 2020 across the event's social media channels. "Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in an effort to preserve the safety of musicians, fans and other members of the close-knit roots community," the Americana Music Association chose to forego an in-person ceremony as well as a televised event.

The 2021 AMERICANA MUSIC HONORS AND AWARDS debuted on the Circle Network on Sunday, March 20, 2022 from 8-10pm ET. Taped on September 22, 2021 in front of a live audience at the Ryman Auditorium, the 20th annual show features performances from Brandi Carlile, Jason Isbell, Allison Russell, Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell, Charley Crockett, Steve Earle, Valerie June, The Highwomen (Brandi Carlile, Natalie Hemby, Maren Morris and Amanda Shires) with Yola, and more. Presenters, including Sheryl Crow and Kiefer Sutherland, hand out awards such as the Lifetime Achievement Trailblazer Award, the Inspiration Award, the Legacy of Americana Award, and Album of the Year.

The 22nd annual AMERICANA MUSIC HONORS AND AWARDS took place on Wednesday, September 20, 2023 at the famed Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN, and was streamed live via Circle Network's YouTube channel and Americana Music Association's Facebook, starring at 7:30pm ET/4:30pm PT. The 2023 Honors & Awards include Lifetime, Trailblazer and Legacy Award Honorees: The Avett Brothers, George Fontaine Sr., Bettye LaVette, Patty Griffin and Nickel Creek. This year's event features performances by 49 Winchester, Adeem the Artist, Allison Russell, Angel Olsen, The Avett Brothers, Bettye LaVette, Bonnie Raitt, Brandi Carlile, Brandy Clark, Hermanos Gutierrez, Logan Ledger, Margo Price, The Milk Carton Kids, Nickel Creek, Noah Kahan, Patty Griffin, Rufus Wainwright, S.G. Goodman, Sunny War, The War And Treaty and William Prince. Presenters include Anthony Mason, Dom Flemons, Jessi Colter, Jim Lauderdale, Jonathan Taplin, Lyle Lovett, Pete Muller, Sarah Silverman, Shovels & Rope, Silas House, Steve Jordan, Teddy Thompson, Warren Zanes and William Bell. The ceremony made its linear television debut on Saturday, November 25, 2023 on PBS (check local listings) in the AUSTIN CITY LIMITS time slot.
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On Saturday, November 23, 2024, PBS aired the linear television debut of the 23rd annual AMERICANA MUSIC HONORS AND AWARDS in the network's regular time slot for AUSTIN CITY LIMITS. Recorded live at Nashville's historic "Mother Church," the Ryman Auditorium, in September 2024, the event features musical performances by (in order of appearance): Duane Betts, Blind Boys of Alabama, Waxahatchee featuring MJ Lenderman, Noah Kahan, Jobi Riccio, Fantastic Negrito, Larkin Poe, Sarah Jarosz, Dwight Yoakam, Shelby Lynne, Sierra Ferrell, and Emmylou Harris with Rodney Crowell.

The special honors singular artists with Lifetime Achievement Awards, including The Blind Boys of Alabama, who revolutionized Gospel music with their infusion of a nontraditional, grooving rhythm section. The late blues and gospel pioneer Reverend Gary Davis receives the Legacy of Americana award with a salute by three-time Grammy-winning blues firebrand Fantastic Negrito. Singer-songwriter Allison Moorer celebrates her big sister and Lifetime Achievement Honoree Shelby Lynne. C&W icon Dwight Yoakam is presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by singer-songwriter Brandy Clark, the night's Song of the Year award winner.